Chapter 136: Let The Battle Begins

Chapter 136: Chapter 136: Let The Battle Begins

Dozens of pirate ships sped towards Marineford. Any pirate or Marine who spotted Whitebeard's fleet immediately kept their distance, clearly intimidated. The fully assembled Whitebeard fleet was indeed a force capable of challenging Marine Headquarters directly!

At their current pace, Whitebeard's fleet would take three days to reach Marineford—just in time for the public execution of Fire Fist Ace.

Over those three days, various pirates came to seek out Alex, hoping he would help them build custom pirate ships. However, Alex declined all their requests. His decision to build Whitebeard's new Moby Dick 2 wasn't because Murakumogiri was invaluable; rather, he simply liked Whitebeard enough to craft the ship for him on a whim.

But even with these rejections, pirates continued to approach, which quickly became bothersome. When a fourth pirate came to request a ship, Alex swatted the rest away in one swipe, sending them flying into the sea, which finally brought some peace.

The pirates he sent flying were no small-timers either—each had bounties in the millions. But even one casual move from Alex proved more than they could withstand, breaking most of their bones and leaving them unable to move. If not for Marco's Phoenix abilities to heal them, Whitebeard's forces might have lost a significant chunk of strength before even reaching Marineford.

After that incident, all the pirates put aside their doubts about Alex due to his youth and recognized him as one of the greatest powers on the seas.

However, Alex himself couldn't care less about their approval.

Unlike the repetitive seas of his world, the Grand Line was full of constant surprises. Even the most seasoned pirates couldn't claim to have seen it all, so Alex's journey was anything but boring.

Princess Shirahoshi, in particular, was filled with boundless curiosity about everything outside, having been confined in the Hard-Shell Tower her whole life. After three days of travel, her excitement only grew.

But as they neared Marineford to rescue Fire Fist Ace, Shirahoshi, despite her reluctance, dutifully returned to the Ryugu Kingdom. Alex couldn't help but admire her; such a kind-hearted and beautiful girl—who wouldn't adore her?

As for any size issues, Alex wasn't concerned. He could easily resize Shirahoshi or himself if necessary.

With the execution hour drawing nearer, the entire world was focused on the upcoming event.

In the South Blue, on a rainy day in a market on a remote island, people moved around with umbrellas, discussing the likelihood of Whitebeard's attack on Marineford.

"Has Whitebeard arrived yet?" one man wondered skeptically. "Only three hours left."

"Who knows? But seriously, would he show up?" another replied. "He's getting on in years."

An elderly woman nearby, full of spirit, chimed in, "What are you saying? Because Whitebeard's such a force to be reckoned with, Marine Headquarters gathered all their elite forces and prepared for battle. I'd say there's a very good chance he'll show up! And don't forget that recent troublemaker, Alex—the Most Notorious Criminal. I can't believe someone as bold as him, someone who dared to strike down Celestial Dragons, would pass up the chance to make waves in this world-shaking war!"

Beyond the South Blue, people across the world were watching closely.

From the other three seas to the Grand Line and even the New World... all eyes were on Marineford.

At Marineford, the town that housed most of the Marines' families was now deserted. All civilians had been evacuated to safety, and they monitored the public execution's real-time developments via large screens in the Sabaody Archipelago. Journalists focused intently, ready to broadcast the latest updates to the world.

Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters, 100,000 elite Marines, summoned from around the globe, stood ready, conserving their strength for the imminent battle.

Fifty warships encircled the island, while countless heavy cannons lined the bay, prepared to sink any incoming pirate ships.

In the front lines stood tall Marine Vice Admirals, followed by the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and then the three Admirals stationed directly below the execution platform.

Marineford was now an unbreakable fortress, ready to face Whitebeard's fleet and his subordinate crews.

Elsewhere, the Straw Hat crew had just escaped from Impel Down.

Unlike in the original story, thanks to Alex's enhancements, the Straw Hats had grown increasingly stronger as Ace's execution neared. Luffy had already unlocked Gear Fourth, while Zoro and the others experienced significant power boosts. They even defeated the prison's warden, Magellan, leaving Impel Down in utter chaos.

Despite their efforts, however, Ace was still transported to Marineford, while Blackbeard recruited his new crew from the depths of the prison.

Now, after their exhausting battle with Magellan, the Straw Hats, along with Buggy, Jinbe, Crocodile, and Ivankov, raced toward Marineford.

Back at Marineford, with the execution time approaching, Ace was brought to the execution platform.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku stepped forward and addressed the world:

"There's something I must convey about the significance of this man's death here today—Portgas D. Ace! Ace, state your father's name!"

Ace slowly turned his head, glancing at Sengoku before speaking firmly:

"My father is Whitebeard!"

"Wrong!" Sengoku refuted loudly.

"There's no mistake—my father is Whitebeard, and no one else!" Ace shouted back.

Ignoring Ace's protest, Sengoku began recounting the events of decades past, explaining why Ace had remained hidden for so long. He spoke of a determined woman who had made the impossible possible.

"Hahaha! Alex is as strong as the old man! With him, we'll definitely save Ace!"

"That's right! Alex already defeated two Admirals before. With him and the old man, victory is ours!"

"This is it! Today marks the beginning of the pirates' counterattack against the Navy!"

At Marineford, Sengoku's composure finally cracked as the situation spiraled out of control. He turned to his old friend, Garp, silently conveying his thoughts.

Understanding Sengoku's unspoken plea, Garp glanced at Ace on the execution platform. Gritting his teeth, he leapt onto the platform and roared: "Soldiers, do not falter! Even if Alex and Whitebeard have joined forces, they cannot defeat the Navy!"

Hearing Garp's commanding voice, the 100,000 Marines gradually regained their composure. They looked up at the legendary hero, whose presence exuded unwavering strength despite his age.

"That's right! We have Vice Admiral Garp—the man who fought Roger himself! He'll take down Alex!"

"Victory will be ours!"

Upon seeing the morale shift, Sengoku finally relaxed. His expression was complicated as he watched his old friend. Garp's influence, even now, far surpassed his own as Fleet Admiral.

Just like twenty years ago, if Garp hadn't refused the promotion to Admiral, even the position of Fleet Admiral wouldn't have fallen to Sengoku.

Alex, however, remained unfazed by the changing morale. A sudden idea crossed his mind, and a mischievous smile appeared on his face. Looking at the diverse characters among the Marines and pirates, he called out:

"Old man, I just thought of something interesting..."

"Hm?" Whitebeard turned to Alex, his expression curious.

Alex's smile widened. He stepped forward, standing before Whitebeard, and declared loudly:

"Don't you all think the upcoming battle will be a bit too plain? Just Haki, Devil Fruits, and physical brawls—it's not enough..."

Everyone turned their gaze to Alex, a growing sense of unease washing over them.

Alex continued, his voice ringing out:

"I've decided to set some new rules. The higher your style points, the stronger your attacks will be!"

Everyone: "???"

What did he mean? They couldn't comprehend it at all.

Alex didn't bother explaining. He activated Third Tree: Abyss, unleashing an infinite surge of power. The fifty-fold enhancement amplified his already incredible strength to unimaginable levels.

Unlimited Void.

He expanded his domain, instantly covering the entire One Piece world. Countless intricate runes appeared in the void, forming a grand formation that dictated the new rules.

Alex's mind processed billions of calculations per second, bringing the entire One Piece world under his control. Complex runes etched themselves into the fabric of reality, enforcing the law: the higher your style points, the greater your attack power.

Through the sheer might of vector manipulation, physical constants and energy flows adjusted. The final rule: up to a threefold increase in attack power based on style points.

In an instant, everything was complete. To the others, it appeared as though Alex had simply snapped his fingers, yet the world itself had shifted. Those attuned to power could feel the change most acutely.

Pirate Empress Boa Hancock, known for her striking beauty, stared at her hands in astonishment. She could feel it—an unrelenting surge of power coursing through her. Her strength had doubled, perhaps even more.

With this newfound power, she felt confident enough to challenge even the Yonko.

The entire battlefield stood in disbelief, their eyes fixed on Alex. What kind of power was this? He had altered the very laws of their world, and even the Admirals weren't exempt.

Having completed his work, Alex bowed slightly and smiled.

"Now then, let the show begin. Let this epic burn even brighter!"

°°°

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